Arthur remained as the rest of the people left, the only others in the room were the sorcerers who couldn't leave without the King's permission and Merlin who was waiting for Arthur. Uther looked at the sorcerers and ordered the guards outside the door to remove them including Merlin. Then he turned to his son and just looked at him in shock.
"Well is it true?" Arthur asked once more.
Uther looked defeated as he sat down. He gestured to Arthur to sit then he lifted up his head. "It is a secret I have kept since her birth, her mother wanted it that way. You have to understand I was unhappy me and your Mother had been married for several years and still hadn't had a child. Gorlios was on a campaign on the borders and he had left Viviane here for safety. We never meant it to happen." Uther hesitated before continuing "Her husband returned soon after and rather than break his heart we kept our counsel. I never expected him to die. When Morgana was born he was so happy, she was late but Vivienne convinced him she was early the dates just worked." He looked at his son's horrified face. "By then your mother was expecting you"
"So you lied both to my mother and your best friend!" Arthur said angrily "You let Morgana believe she was alone and living on charity when she was your daughter! Would you have let us marry to keep your dirty secret?"
"No never, and I have always loved her and treated her like my own" Uther protested.
"Your best friend! I cannot believe you, but then perhaps I can, what other secrets do you have father, tell me now" Arthur demanded hoping that his father would tell him about Hunith and Merlin now that so much had been found out.
"No, there is nothing more." Uther looked at Arthur "I loved your mother it was a momentary lapse when I was weak, a beautiful woman offered herself and when I needed comfort"
"How dare you! How dare you blame a dead woman for your sins" Arthur stood up "I can talk no more with you now. I used to look up to you and lived to make you proud, I was a fool." the Prince walked out the door in anger and disappointment wondering just what else he would find out about the Kings secrets. The very little respect he had had left for his father had just disappeared.
Arthur left the hall and seeing Merlin outside gesture him to follow and told the guards to return the other sorcerers to their cell. Putting Merlin in his room and telling him to stay Arthur went towards Morgana's room. Knocking on the door he entered to find her sobbing in Hunith's arms. "Morgana, my sister, I have a sister" he held out his arms and Morgana flung herself into them
"I thought you would hate me!" she told the Prince.
"Why should I do that? It wasn't your doing" Arthur told her. Then Arthur turned to Hunith "I would like to speak to my sister alone, go to my rooms and see your son. Take him to the small chamber at the side in case anyone enters"
Hunith left grateful for the chance to see Merlin. Once she had left Arthur made Morgana sit down and he sat beside her.
"I humiliated Uther in front of the court" Morgana told him "I couldn't stop myself I was so angry"
"I don't blame you Morgana and at least now I can truly call you my sister. That means a lot to me" he hugged Morgana "I hope you want me as a brother"
"Of course I do, but what will happen now, what will Uther do?" Morgana looked at Arthur "Will he send me away?"
"I won't let him. It is his shame not yours. Morgana now is not the time to make rash decisions I think we need talk so tomorrow we will go for a ride alone so we can talk in private, just keep calm and keep out of Uther's way." Arthur smiled "We will sort something out just don't work yourself up"
Morgana hugged Arthur "I'm am pleased that you are my brother Arthur, I love you like one already and I have family again. But I will never call that man father. Gorlios was my father, he was the man that raised me and loved me"
"That's how it should be, now I must go to my rooms I will send Hunith back." He kissed his sisters forehead as he left. The minute he got back to his rooms he sent Hunith back to Morgana "Look after her and can you make sure she is ready to go for a ride in the morning and would you mind asking the kitchen for a picnic for us" he asked.
"Yes Sire and thank you" Hunith was pleased to have had a few minutes alone with her son.
"I'm sorry it couldn't be longer but we must take care" Arthur sent her on her way and called for George
"George the feast came to an early end please fetch some bread, meat and wine for my supper, oh and Merlin's food. Then you may go but I will want waking in the morning and my and the Lady Morgana's horse ready we are going for a ride."
Once George had returned Arthur added some more bread and meat to Merlin's portion before they settled for the night. Merlin looked at his master and thanked him for allowing him to see his mother.
"That's alright Merlin hopefully soon you will be able to see her whenever you want" Arthur said before he blew out the candles.
The next morning Arthur went to the Kings chambers "I am going out with Morgana for a ride. I thought I should inform you"
"Arthur we need to speak" Uther looked at his son "I cannot allow Morgana's actions to stand she has caused me embarrassment" Uther once more looked his normal self. "Also we need to name you as my sole heir, I intend to have you acknowledged as Crown Prince"
"I am taking my sister out for a ride. Your embarrassing as you call it will have to wait" Arthur found that with the loss of respect came a new freedom, he no longer felt the need to please his father. "We can speak when I came back"
Uther looked at his son and realised he would get nowhere pushing him now, the boy was clearly upset. "When you get back"
Arthur walked out and went to his sister's room, smiling at how easy it was to think of Morgana as his sister. He picked up Merlin on the way. When he got to Morgana's room he entered "Morgana are you ready?"
"I am brother" she replied with a smile
"I don't want to leave Merlin in my rooms so I thought if he was to stay with Gaius this morning so I will drop him off on the way. Come on" Arthur took Morgana's arm and they went to Gaius and left Merlin there. Arthur told the physician "I would like you to check Merlin's health for me and perhaps he could help you for the morning, but please keep him with you at all times."
Gaius smiled "I will sire. I have lots he can do the leech tank needs cleaning."
Once the pair were well away from the castle and near Arthur's favourite spot near the river they dismounted and sat down.
"I am sorry for what the King has done to you Morgana but there is more I think you need to know. I spoke to him after you left the feast and I asked him if he had any other secrets and he denied having any. I have no respect for him anymore. I was already finding some of his attitudes difficult but now…"
Morgana smiled "It's not your fault you didn't know I am sorry if I have caused more difficulties between you"
"Morgana It wasn't his only secret he has another even worse. One I found out by accident some time ago. But if I tell you, you must never let him know, as it would be dangerous for others."
Morgana looked at her brother "I promise" she paused "Is it about Hunith and Merlin?" she asked quietly.
"How did you know?" he demanded
"I don't know what it is but I have felt there was something for some time that Hunith wasn't telling me." Morgana admitted.
"It is worse even than what he has done to you and something that I will never forgive… Hunith's husband was my mother's sister" Arthur's voice broke as he said the truth out loud for the first time.
Morgana stared at Arthur in disbelief "That means that Merlin is Uther's nephew!...how could he…. Oh my god that is evil"
"Now you know why he mustn't find out that we know the truth, not until I am ready. He murdered my uncle Balinor, Hunith's husband and then kept the pregnant Hunith in a cell until Merlin was four. Then he had Merlin collared and Hunith was given to you. Gaius is Hunith's Uncle. If anyone finds out they will be killed. He is using them to control each of them to make sure they do as they are told." Arthur looked down the river. "When I can I will make him pay, but I need to be in a better position I am too young as yet. I want to get all three of them away to safety. Uther told me this morning that he plans to make me Crown Prince. When he does I will be in a stronger position."
Arthur turned to see Morgana in tears "I knew there was something but that is …. Unbelievable, it's inhumane. What do you plan?"
"I don't know, I thought I would try the Druids" Arthur said "They should be safer with them, unless Uther uses the other sorcerers to find them"
Morgana looked at Arthur "You seem only call him the King or Uther now"
"I can't call him father not after all he has done" Arthur told her
"You must brother, if he thinks you have changed he will remove Merlin from you. When he was talking to me thinking I was unconscious he mentioned he was trying to find a way to get Merlin back, he mentioned that Merlin was a dragonlord."